March Madness: Ratings second-highest in 29 years

March 25 (UPI) -- Turner Sports and CBS Sports' March Madness coverage is the highest-rated in 29 years, the networks announced Monday.

Viewership to-date across TBS, CBS, TNT and TruTV is also up 8 percent compared to 2018. NCAA March Madness Live set the all-time record for live streams and live hours during the 2019 NCAA tournament.

The third game telecast window for Duke's win against Central Florida on Sunday was up 35 percent from the comparable window during the 2018 tournament.

The live game coverage for the first weekend was only bested by the first weekend of the 1991 tournament, when the NCAA tournament expanded to its current television format.

NCAA March Madness social accounts have seen a 56 percent increase in engagement compared to the 2018 tournament, from the start through Sunday.

Duke and Virginia have equal odds at +350 of winning the national championship, according to BetOnline.ag. Gonzaga has the third-best chance at +450, while North Carolina comes it with the fourth-best odds at +800.

The 2019 tournament resumes with Florida State facing Gonzaga in the Sweet 16 at 7:09 p.m. Thursday in Anaheim, Calif.